Fastener-driving tools are well known in the art. Such tools can generally be classified into two broad classes of tools, based on their source of driving power. The first class of tools, sometimes referred to as fluid-powered fastener-driving tools, depend on the use of pressurized fluids (e.g., air) to provide their driving power. Such tools are exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,952,398, 4,040,554, 4,122,904, 4,196,833 and 4,346,831. The second class of tools, sometimes referred to as powder-actuated fastener-driving tools, depend on the use of explosive cartridges to provide their driving power. Such tools are exemplified by the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,168,744, 3,499,590, 3,552,625, 3,554,425, 3,565,313, 3,743,159 and 4,655,380.
The powder-actuated fastener-driving tool described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,655,380 (the "'380 tool") overcomes many of the problems associated with the powder-actuated fastener-driving tools described in the other aforementioned patents. Two problems have been determined to still exist, however, with respect to the '380 tool.
First, fasteners must be inserted individually into the barrel of '380 patent tool. This individual insertion of fasteners is relatively slow and burdensome.
Second, the firing mechanism of the '380 tool is relatively costly to manufacture due to the relatively large number of moving parts used in the mechanism.